Lawn edge trimming machine



July 5, 1932. J. c. ROWE LAWN EDGE TRIMMING MACHINE Filed July 15, 1931 7aZa7' (Z21 773 Patented July 5, 1932 UNITED. STATES JOHN CHARLES ROWE; or CAULIEIELD, vIc'roRIA, AUSTRALIA LAWN EDGE TRIMMING MACHINE Application filed July 13, 1931, Serial No. 550,570, and in Australia September 1, 1 930.

One object of this invention is to provide hand propelled machine shears for trimming edges of lawns and like vegetation, rapidly, accurately, and easily. The machine has a suitable carriage, one ground wheel being I sufiicient with mechanism whereby intermittent opening and closing movement is imparted to shears. A further object of the invention is to provide for adjusting the ground wheel height so that, at will, the user can vary the position of the shears relatively to the ground. 7

The drawing herewith illustrates the invention.

In this drawing Figure 1 is a perspective View of my machine, part of the handle being omitted.

Figures 2 and 3 are diagrams showing cams, in cutting and non-cutting positions respectively.

Figure 1 is a planpartly sectionalof the forepart of the machine.

Figure 5 is an elevation in section, transversely through Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of a shear blade pressure device.

Figure 7 is a View of a modified blade operating mechanism.

Figure 8 is an elevation in transverse sec- 30 tion, of parts in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a view of eccentric mechanism for blade operating.

In these figures 10 indicates the carriage comprising a frame having a forked-upward :45) extension 10, to'which is secured a handle 11 of any desired length. This frame has cheeks 12, 13, having holes 14 any suitable pair of whichsupports an axle 15 of a ground wheel 16 in suitable alignment with which the handle 11 extends. These holes 14; enable the frame and the axle height above the ground to be regulated but it is obvious that other mechanically equivalent means of eflecting such regulation may be used. 16 is 3:, the tread of the ground wheel.

The inner peripheryof the'ground wheel consists of teeth 17 which mesh with a pinion 18, the axle 18 of which is supportedsee Figure 4by bearings 18 on frame 10, 1

50 and if desired the ground wheel teeth are shroudedto any convenient extent to exclude dbris,-as at 16 in Figure 4.

I use shears of which one'blade 19 is fixed and the other is movable relatively thereto. The fixed blade is supported on one side of the frame; and the movable blade, 19 is supported-see Figures 1 and 4, between the blade 19 and the frame, by a pivot pin 19. The height of the shears'above the groundthat is their working" position+depends on the tilting of the parts by means of the'handle and the adjustment of the frame relatively'to th'e'said axle. I j r In Figures 1 to 5 theshears are shownto be cam operated, that isthe pinion axle 18 carries acam member 20 having striking facestwo being showneach of'whic'h in its revolution causes a closing of blade 19 by'the impactof said striking face on a projection which is shown as roller21, in Figures 2 and 3. To support the axle of this roller an arm v 21 *-see Figures 4 and 5-extends from a part, 19, of the movable blade.

It is advantageous to provide, to assistthe blade opening, a spring or springs; and in 7 Figure 5 a volute spring 22 isiillustrated with its 7 ends enclosing opposed pins projecting from lugs22 22 which extend from the respective: blades.

On the pinion axle I provide however, another cam member23, having the same number of striking faces as cam 20, the-striking faces of 02111123 being positioned to actintermediately of those of cam'20. An arm 24.-see Figures 2to 4-.is pivoted to asupport 2 1 on the frame. This arm hasa face 24* and when the shears are closed, a face of cam 23 bears against the face 24. To transmit movement of the arm to the blade 19*, the arm has a slot 2 1 which is engaged by a pin 25 projecting'from the said blade.

Tojpress the moving blade laterally towards the ffixed blade'jI provide'-see Figure 6a lug26 extending from frame 9, the lug carrying the pressure means shown as anadjustablescrew 26 which the user may set at will. 7 V 1 .1 L" I Figures? and 8-,show, instead of the said cams, a crank .27' carried byaxle 18", and a its strap 29 having a projecting arm 29 coupled to pin 19 the use of a spring 22 not being preferred when the crank or eccentric is used. 1

To trim a lawn edge with this machine, it

is pushed along with one side of its ground wheel in proper proximity to a lawn edge, for example parallel and near thereto. The advance of the wheel rotates the pinion, and thus axle 18, causing the gearing to open.

and close the shears, which clip the grass or the like. While thus at work the machine can be shifted about and, if desired, tilted bythe user according to his manipulation ofthe handle and he will thus enable the machine to travel in various directions and the shears to clip at various levels. i -It is obvious that a machine of the kind stated may be equipped with free wheel devices of known detail, whereby while the machine is drawn rearwardly, the shears will remain at rest, but will open and close when the machine moves ahead.

Coverings which are usable over cam or crank mechanisms to prevent them becoming fouled by debris are well known machine elements not requiring illustration.

[I claim I ,1. A lawn edge trimming machine including a frame having frame cheeks, each formed with. a series of apertures, aground the height of the frame relative to the ground surface over which the wheel is moving, a cutter including relatively movable shear blade carried by the frame, a pinion operated by the ground wheel, a cam operated by the pinion and cooperating with the movable shear blade for opening said blades, a second cam operated by. the pinion an element carried by the frame and moved by the second'cam, and a connection between said element and the movable shear blade to operate said blade relative to the fixed blades, the said cams providing intermittent opening and closing -of the shear blades for cutting purposes. i

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification at Melbourne in the State of Victoria, in Australia, this 1st day ofJune 1931.

JOHN CHARLES} Rowe.

wheel, anaxle'f'or the ground wheel capable of location in selected pairs of apertures to adjust the ,frame height relative; to the ground, a fixedzblade carried by the frame,

" a'movable blade mounted on the frame, and I means for actuating'the movable bladev with respect to the fixed blade in the turning of the ground wheel. a

2. A lawn edge trimming machine including a frame having frame cheeks, each formed .with'a series ofapertures, a ground wheel, an axlelfor. the ground wheel capable of location in selectedpairsof apertures to adjust the :frame ,height relative to the i ground, ,a'fixed' bladecarried by the frame,

a movabl'eblade mounted onthe frame, a cam pe a d ihet r f t yne wheel for closing the movable blade with respect to the fixed. blade,yineans for opening the movable blade with respect to the fixed blade, said means including an arm pivoted to the frame and formed with a' slot, a projection from the movableblade entering the slot,a'nd a cam for cooperating with and op- :the movement ofthe ground wheelQ I p A lawnedge trimming machine includcrating the arm, said cam being, d'riven'in 

